Protecting your privacy and data security is one of the most important things you should do when online. Cybersecurity is quickly becoming one of the major problems of mankind in this era.
According to Risk Based Security cyber-criminals stole over 15.1 billion records in 2019. This represents about 284% growth in crime from the 2018 figures. More worrying is the fact that the growth trend has accelerated in 2020 and may keep growing into the future.
If you haven’t invested in a foolproof cybersecurity solution then this is the time to do so before you fall victim to the ever-growing online crimes. However, as an ordinary person, you may be thrown off by popular terms in the cybersecurity world such as VPN, Anti-Virus, and Firewall.
To help you make the right choice, we will go over all of them and make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed choice.
VPN is short for a Virtual Private Network. This is a system designed to help hide your identity and encrypt all your data when browsing the World Wide Web and hence helping keep you safe. Every computing device connected to the internet has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) address. This IP address serves as the Identity of the computer online. When you browse the internet, others may track what you do online and even target you with cyber-attacks by simply using your computer’s IP address.
All your traffic will pass through the VPN which will assign them a temporary IP address for the session. This makes it impossible for anyone to track you down. Besides, you can now access restricted websites. Most VPNs go a step further to encrypt your data to make sure that no unauthorized person can interpret your message.
It is easy to deduce the workings of the solution from its name. VPN provides you with a virtual network of servers to help keep your data private. When you use a VPN what you are doing is simply connecting your computer to the internet via a virtual network of servers.
This does two things. First, it assigns traffic from your computer a new temporary IP address. This is done to hide your real IP address in order to keep you private when browsing the internet. Second, the VPN encrypts your data. This makes sure that unauthorized individuals do not intercept and read your data. This is important in making sure that you remain safe while online.
A firewall is another important tool that people use to protect themselves from online criminals. To understand a firewall you need to go down our history lane to the Stone Age.
During this era, our ancestors would form a fire around them at night to act as a protective wall against dangerous wild animals.
The firewall does the same thing but against viruses and other harmful agents of cybercriminals.
A firewall, therefore, is a system designed to filter any suspicious program from access to your computer.
Its main job is to keep malicious files at bay.
It usually employs a set of rules to filter traffic to your computer to keep your computer from harm’s way.
A Firewall when used acts like a filter between the World Wide Web and your device. It filters what comes in letting in safe traffic while blocking viruses and malware.
To do this, a firewall is designed to scan all the incoming data from the internet.
It thus uses a number of rules to find malicious software and block them from getting to your computer. This protects you from cyber attacks.
Learn how VPN can protect you from hackers
‘Anti’ is a term used to denote ‘against or opposed to’.
This should tell you that antivirus is a program designed to fight against computer viruses.
The antivirus is designed to scan for viruses on your device and then delete them from your computer so that they don’t cause any harm to your data.
Many people still believe that antivirus only works offline. This stems from the fact that some earlier forms of antivirus were designed to work offline. Modern-day virus scans for files when downloading from the internet to make sure that they don’t contain viruses. They also check your mail and keep an eye on traffic to your device to make sure that no form of malware is installed on your device. This way they can detect and neutralize malware in the nick of time.
Some antivirus software comes with antispyware capabilities. They check for every program you download or that you want to install on your computer. This way they can detect any spyware before it is installed on your computer. Some antivirus works on your browser to check every page you visit online and block any data traffic that may compromise your computer.
Now you know what a VPN, a Firewall, and an Antivirus are and how each one works, you may be wondering which of these solutions will work for me? The only way to know this is to compare VPN vs firewall vs antivirus. This way you will be able to make the right choice for you:
Let’s start by looking at a VPN Vs Firewall because they are more similar in operation. For a start both VPN and Firewall acts as a bridge between your computer and the World Wide Web. To use either of them you have to route your internet connection through them. Thus they protect you by monitoring traffic exchange between your device and the web and then filter out harmful malware from reaching your computer.
The main difference stems from the fact that a VPN is a network of private servers and therefore works to make sure that you remain anonymous online. It assigns you a new IP address and this makes it impossible for anyone to track you. In addition, VPN encrypts your data.
A Firewall on the other hand acts more like a filter. Its main job is to monitor traffic to your device and block any malicious files. In addition, you can set it to block certain forms of content thus offering you more control over what you or anyone on your network can view on the internet.
A VPN is quite different from an Antivirus although they both work to keep you safe from internet-based criminals. A VPN is a network of servers that serves to make you anonymous on the internet. In addition, the system encrypts your data and blocks any malicious files from getting to your computer.
An Antivirus on the other hand is a program that you install on your computer and use it to scan your computer for virus and malicious software. It also helps scan your browsers and stops any unauthorized program from being installed on your computer.
A firewall is designed to work on your internet connection not on your device as the Antivirus is. This determines how they differ in the way they operate. A firewall will monitor traffic from the internet to your computer and block all programs it believes are harmful.
On the other hand, an antivirus is designed to work on your computer. It scans the hard disk for any malware which it neutralizes. It also works on your browser to detect any malware to be neutralized.
It is now clear that a VPN is different from both a Firewall and an Antivirus. Therefore to choose what best solution for you, you need to determine what you want.
For example, a VPN’s focus is your privacy when online. This is why it masks your IP address by giving you a temporary address for use on the internet. This means that if both privacy and data security are of importance then you need a VPN.
A firewall on the other hand focuses on metering what gets to your computer. It acts more like a gate to your local network. Other than filtering malware you can use a firewall to control the websites others on your network or device visit. If you run a small business and you want to have more control over web pages your employees visit during work besides protecting your business data then a firewall is a worthy investment.
An antivirus on its part is a complex computer program. It works on your computer. Because it works on your computer many people trust it. But more importantly, it works to help capture malware that comes from other sources such as flash disks. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to the other two.
Learn more about the difference between VPN and Microsoft DirectAccess.
If you are looking to invest in a VPN then there are several companies offering such services for personal use. While all available VPNs are designed to do the same thing and work in the same manner they differ in what they offer and how well the companies providing them are set up. This can have a huge impact on your privacy. To help you, here are some of the top personal VPNs you can use:
The ExpressVPN has been rated one of the top VPN consistently over the years by both users and field experts. This is because it is one of the fastest and has the best commitment to privacy on the market. It uses the latest TrustedServer technology, which makes sure that you get the most out of your activities on the internet without having to worry about security breaches.
NordVPN is another popular service. This is because it offers so many more features than any competitor. For example, you can have up to six simultaneous connections at a time. These killer features combined with the fact that NordVPN is fast and guarantees security make it quite popular among users.
Read the full NordVPN review here
Many people love IpVanish because it’s easy to configure its interface. It offers many great features when you want to stream videos and music online. It is quite fast and robust offering security with no reported cases of data breaches.
Read full IPVanish review
CyberGhost VPN is a robust product that has made a name for itself in the industry thanks to its modern security features. It is fast and comes with many great features such as ad-blockers to ensure that you remain safe at all times.
Read CyberGhost review here
Find out if you need a business VPN here
If you are a business owner, then here are some of the top VPNs you should consider:
Perimeter 81 is a powerful VIP that uses Cloud VPN architecture. It allows you to have multiple devices. It is thus ideal for businesses that do remote work. It has aggressive security features that have made it safe for everyone. It is user friendly and its features favor many businesses
Read full Perimeter 81 review
ExpressVPN is not business focused in its product line but it offers great features that make perfect sense for small business owners. It is compatible with almost any operating system, it is user friendly and offers many important features that make securing your business easy.
This European based VPN is known for its high speeds, privacy, and ability to bypass government censorship. It is powerful and offers more than 200,000 temporary IP addresses. It relies on high-level encryption which makes it quite safe and secure to use.
NordVPN is known for its consistency when it comes to performance. This is why many business owners love it. It has a strong privacy stance and to back it up has developed some of the industry’s most robust security features. Most important the provider does not track or collect data on their users. This makes it perfect for businesses seeking total privacy.
There are many firewalls in the world to choose from. Some of the best include:
This is the best firewall in the market right now. All you have to do to use it is buy the necessary hardware and then set the whole thing up and you will be secure. It is relatively fast and offers the best features to ensure your privacy.
This firewall is popular for its smart and most advanced features. It supports many devices such as VDOM among others. It is robust and offers better services when it comes to helping keep your data safe.
This is a powerful cloud-based firewall although it also has the software and hardware elements. It comes with many business-friendly features such as a Wi-Fi network and deeply packed inspections. It makes it easy for small businesses to manage their processes.
This is another powerful product from Cisco. It uses advanced systems to give you full control over what content or networks your devices can visit. Thus it is the perfect tool for an individual or a small business with limited know-how as it is designed to be easy to use.
Some of the best antivirus to use on your computer include:
This is the most well-known antivirus software in the world. It is a powerful tool designed to scan and get rid of all forms of malware on your computer. It also has online capabilities working on all your browsers to filter out malware to make sure you remain safe everywhere.
This is another well-known antivirus protection program in the world. It is easy to use and works well on all kinds of computers. It is a powerful program designed to find and remove all kinds of malware. It gets frequent updates to make sure it can deal with emerging challenges.
Many people love Norton 360 Deluxe because it goes beyond the traditional roles of an antivirus. Other than being able to scan, find and neutralize malware on your computer, Norton 360 Deluxe also offers parental control features, webcam protection, and a password manager.
This is solid software that millions of people use each year. It will protect your computer from almost any form of malware both when you are online and when offline. In addition, you get webcam defenses and ransomware rollback capabilities.
The main difference between a firewall and a VPN is in how they work. A firewall acts like a filter through which traffic from your device to the open internet and vice versa passes. It filters out harmful or unwanted traffic to protect you.
A VPN on the other hand is a virtual network through which traffic from your device to the internet passes. When traffic passes through this network it is assigned a new IP address and encrypted making sure that you not only remain anonymous online but all your communication with the internet remains private.
People use both VPN and Antivirus to protect their computers and data on those computers from being compromised. However, the two are quite different. An Antivirus is a software that works on your computer by scanning and getting rid of the malware. Some work on your browser to prevent the entry of harmful traffic. A VPN on the other hand is a system of powerful computers designed to create a network through which all traffic to and from your computer passes. It protects you by hiding your computer’s IP address and by encrypting traffic from your computer to the internet.
Yes. An Antivirus and a VPN are designed to work differently and therefore can complement one another. The best way to protect your data from harm is to have both. Antivirus software will handle all malware-related problems when offline as when transfer data via a local disk or even Bluetooth. A VPN on the other hand will work online to ensure you are protected from online criminals.
VPN and Firewalls are designed to help protect your computers from internet-based threats. They work as a link between your computer and the worldwide web filtering traffic to make sure that no harmful data or program gets to your computer. The only difference is that while a VPN hides your IP address and encrypts all data a firewall does not. Instead, firewall gives you the ability to configure what kind of traffic gets in what websites you can visit.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Want to know the difference between DirectAccess vs VPN, so you can determine which cybersecurity…
Today, there are over 3 billion smartphone users worldwide, which is almost half the world's…
Table of Content: How and Why Do Hackers Breach Your Privacy? How to Protect (Computer/Internet)…
Starting in 2012, NordVPN has found its path to become a big VPN brand in…
We all need closure for every ending event, and 2020 has been a wildly uncertain…
TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps in the world today with…
This website uses cookies.